AI Summit 2026: India to push for shared global norms on AI governance, says MeitY secretary Krishnan
Over 100 countries to join February 2026 meet as New Delhi aims to build global consensus on regulating and shaping artificial intelligence.
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India is preparing to take a leading role in global artificial intelligence policymaking as it readies to host the next international AI Summit in February 2026. The government wants the event to serve as a platform for building a common global approach to AI governance, Union electronics and IT secretary S Krishnan said, signalling New Delhi’s ambition to shape the future direction of emerging technologies.
Speaking to CNBC-TV18, Krishnan said the summit is expected to deliver tangible outcomes rather than remain a purely deliberative exercise. According to him, the discussions are likely to culminate in a series of knowledge frameworks and documents that help countries align their thinking on AI regulation and development. The broader objective, he said, is to move closer to a shared understanding on how governments across the world should navigate the opportunities and risks posed by artificial intelligence.
The scale of the summit is expected to be significant, with participation from more than 100 countries. Several prominent global figures from politics and industry are likely to attend, underlining the importance being attached to the event. Krishnan confirmed that Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates has already agreed to participate, while chief executives from companies such as Anthropic and Adobe are also expected. He added that many other senior leaders have given in-principle confirmations, with a clearer picture emerging after the holiday season.
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Political engagement is also set to be high, with Krishnan indicating that the French president is expected to be among the attendees. He said preparatory work for consensus-building is already in motion, with seven dedicated working groups formed to engage with partner countries. These groups have completed two rounds of meetings so far, and discussions with international counterparts are ongoing. Krishnan expressed confidence that this groundwork would lead to meaningful progress and positive outcomes when the summit convenes early next year.
In November, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, under the IndiaAI Mission, unveiled the India AI Governance Guidelines, a national level framework to enable safe, inclusive, transparent and responsible AI adoption. The guidelines were formally released by Prof Ajay Kumar Sood, Principal Scientific Adviser to the Government of India, in the presence of senior leadership including MeitY Secretary S Krishnan, Additional Secretary MeitY and CEO IndiaAI Mission Abhishek Singh, and the core scientific leadership of MeitY and the Office of the PSA.
The launch is said to be a strategic milestone as India builds momentum towards hosting the India AI Impact Summit in 2026, and signals a decisive shift in India’s positioning as a serious global stakeholder on AI safety, accountability and trustworthy deployment.
